Band safety lock for watch bands and the like

ABSTRACT

The structure is a buckle in general appearance, adapted to hold opposite sections of a band, particularly a watch band, in safety-lock, combination and it consists of a flanged holding plate along the upper surface of which the primary band section may be positioned by sliding action. Above the upper surface of the plate and extending to end connection with said flanges, is a bar adapted to receive and hold the hook of a plate-end of the normally free end of the band. Spaced from the first bar is a second bar holding two spring-engaged locking members, a first locking member having mutually spaced downwardly extended fingers adapted to abut the first bar and carrying grip means to engage the primary band area resting on the plate and to firmly hold said band section at the point to which it is adjusted. Between the fingers of the said first locking member a recess is provided and the second of said spring-engaged locking members is formed with downwardly-extending fingers at its free end, to enter said recess and extert, by the fingers, holding action on the hook resting on the aforesaid bar. Finally, a hinged cover plate, on a third bar held by the flanges of the first named plate, is adapted to be moved over the stated assembly and to engage by latching fingers the first named bar.

United States Patent 91 Leon [ Jan. 23, 1973 BAND SAFETY LOCK FOR WATCH BANDS AND THE LIKE Henry Leon, 83-40 Edgerton Blvd., Jamaica, NY. 11432 [22] Filed: Jan. 31, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 221,987

[76] Inventor:

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Campaiola ..24/17O X Mochizuki ..24/265 WS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,191,795 5/1970 Great Britain 24/265 WS Primary Examiner-Donald A. Griffin At!0rneyW. Lee Helms 57 ABSTRACT The structure is a buckle in general appearance, adapted to hold opposite sections of a band, particularly a watch band, in safetyJock, combination and it consists of a flanged holding plate along the upper surface of which the primary band section may be positioned by sliding action. Above the upper surface of the plate and extending to end connection with said flanges, is a bar adapted to receive and hold the hook of a plate-end of the normally free end of the band. Spaced from the first bar is a second bar holding two spring-engaged locking members, a first locking member having mutually spaced downwardly extended fingers adapted to abut the first bar and carrying grip means to engage the primary band area resting on the plate and to firmly hold said band section at the point to which it is adjusted. Between the fingers of the said first locking member a recess is provided and the second of said spring-engaged locking members is formed with downwardly-extending fingers at its free end, to enter said recess and extert, by the fingers, holding action on the hook resting on the aforesaid bar. Finally, a hinged cover plate, on a third bar held by the flanges of the first named plate, is adapted to be moved over the stated assembly and to engage by latching fingers the first named bar.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures BAND SAFETY LOCK FOR WATCH BANDS AND THE LIKE The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a composite view, showing at the left the hook-carrying end of the normally free end of a band, and followed by a top plan view of the buckle-like assembly, with its two band-locking members swung out of operative holding position against the tension of a spring, the latter being shown. The free end of the major band area is indicated in position for insertion into the buckle and where it will remain.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the hook end of the band, followed by a like side elevation of the buckle-like assembly with the two locking members positioned as in FIG. 1 and terminating with a side elevation of the major band area.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the elements of FIG. 2 assembled and in the locking positions of the two locking members.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the assembly shown in in the preceding Figure.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the assembly with the hinged cover plate in closed position.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and. 2, one end area of a band, that area normally retained within the buckle like membar l, and being indicated at 2, the normally free end of the band, for insertion and removing from the buckle in its periods of use being indicated at 2. The member 1 comprises a plate formed with side planges 3 which carry a bar 4 adapted to receive the hook 5 at the end of the band section 2.

The said flanges of member 1 receive and hold a second bar 6, which is embraced by the bent embracing spaced areas 7 of a first locking member 7 and which is engaged by spring 8 tending to move said member 7 toward bar 4. Said first locking member 7 at its free end is formed with a central recess at each side of which is a turned-down finger 9 adapted not only to engage the main area of the band, but also to abut the side of the bar 4 when in position on the buckle-like member. The central recess of member 7 is indicated at 9, in FIG. 3.

As indicated in FIG. 1, 2 and 4 the side portions of member 7, bent around bar 6 to form hubs, may carry lugs 10 to engage the band, in substitution of the fingers 9 or supplementary thereto, and when there is such substitution the fingers 9 will not engage the band, as indicated in FIG. 6.

On said bar 6 is a second locking member, 11. As shown in FIG. 1 it is so engaged by spring 8 as to be stressed outwardly and hence to "open" position. It is formed with two teeth 12, in the present embodiment, so that when said second locking member is pressed down to the position of FIG. 1 its teeth, slightly curved, will enter the recess of the first locking member and be held by the forward wall of said recess or by abutment with hook 5, as desired in the construction. However this down movement of member 11 is made automatic by a closure movement of a cover member 14 swiveled on a bar 15 of the flanges on plate 1.

In the operation of the structure, the main area 2 of the band is adjusted in desired position in the bucklelike assembly as shown in FIG. 4 and locked in that position by moving locking member 7 down to engage its lugs 10 with said band area 2". Then the free end 2 of the band is hooked over bar 4, whereupon the cover plate 14, when moved down, will automatically move the second locking member 11 into position against the tension of light spring 8, so that teeth 12 will enter the recess 9 of the first locking member and will firmly bear against the hook'S of the inserted band section, holding it against displacement.

To release the hook end of the band, a simple lifting movement, as by the thumb nail of the user when inserted into the space between teeth 12 of said second locking member and against its raised margin, will suffice, and thereupon hook 5 of the band area 2 may be released from its holding bar.

It will be understood that various modifications in the form and arrangement of the elements shown in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, may be made within the spirit of the invention. Thus locking member 11 may be provided with any suitable projecting area for lift purposes; also the teeth 9 of the first locking member may be lengthened to meet and grip the band area 2, if desired as supplementary to the lugs 10 or in place thereof.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A band safety lock for watch bands and the like, comprising a plate adapted to receive and support a first section of a band, a first locking member pivotally held by said plate and adapted to be moved into gripping relation to said first section of said band, and a second locking member pivotally held by said plate, means on said plate adapted to receive the hooked end of a second section of said band, and said second locking member being adapted for movement into position for abutment with said hooked end of the band when the latter is on its receiving means of said plate.

2. A band safety lock for watch bands and the like, constructe in accordance with claim 1, in which the band hook receiving means consists of a bar held by the plate, the first locking member being formed with spaced projecting areas adapted to abut said bar, and the second locking member being adapted to ride over the first locking member in juxtaposition with the bar and thereby adapted to engage a band hook held by the bar.

3. A safety lock for watch bands and the like constructed in accordance with claim 1, in which the band hook receiving means consists of a bar held by the plate, a second bar held by said plate, the first and the second locking members being pivoted to said second bar, the first locking member being adapted to engage the said bar serving as receiving means for the band hook, and the second locking member being adapted to engage a hook element at one end of a band when engaging said last named bar.

4. A safety lock for watch bands and the like, constructed in accordance with claim 1, in which the first and the second locking members are mounted on a common bar, each of the locking members being formed with tooth means, in combination with a bar held by the plate and adapted as the band hook receiving means, a second bar receiving pivotally the first locking member, said first locking member formed with a central space in which the second locking member is pivoted to said second bar, said first locking member being formed with a recess at its free end, said second locking member being adapted to enter said recess when moved into locking position for abutment with the hooked end of a band held by said first named bar.

5. A safety lock for watch bands and the like, constructed in accordance with claim 1, in combination with spring means adaped to engage the first and the second locking members and tending to move said members toward open positions relative to their 

1. A band safety lock for watch bands and the like, comprising a plate adapted to receive and support a first section of a band, a first locking member pivotally held by said plate and adapted to be moved into gripping relation to said first section of said band, and a second locking member pivotally held by said plate, means on said plate adapted to receive the hooked end of a second section of said band, and said second locking member being adapted for movement into position for abutment with said hooked end of the band when the latter is on its receiving means of said plate.
 2. A band safety lock for watch bands and the like, constructe in accordance with claim 1, in which the band hook receiving means consists of a bar held by the plate, the first locking member being formed with spaced projecting areas adapted to abut said bar, and the second locking member being adapted to ride over the first locking member in juxtaposition with the bar and thereby adapted to engage a band hook held by the bar.
 3. A safety lock for watch bands and the like constructed in accordance with claim 1, in which the band hook receiving means consists of a bar held by the plate, a second bar held by said plate, the first and the second locking members being pivoted to said second bar, the first locking member being adapted to engage the said bar serving as receiving means for the band hook, and the second locking member being adapted to engage a hook element at one end of a band when engaging said last named bar.
 4. A safety lock for watch bands and the like, constructed in accordance with claim 1, in which the first and the second locking members are mounted on a coMmon bar, each of the locking members being formed with tooth means, in combination with a bar held by the plate and adapted as the band hook receiving means, a second bar receiving pivotally the first locking member, said first locking member formed with a central space in which the second locking member is pivoted to said second bar, said first locking member being formed with a recess at its free end, said second locking member being adapted to enter said recess when moved into locking position for abutment with the hooked end of a band held by said first named bar.
 5. A safety lock for watch bands and the like, constructed in accordance with claim 1, in combination with spring means adaped to engage the first and the second locking members and tending to move said members toward open positions relative to their locking positions, and a cover member pivoted on the plate and adapted to be moved over the first and second locking members, said cover member having hook means, a bar on the plate and serving to receive the hooked end of a band, said cover member being adapted to automatically move the first and second locking members into locking positions from open positions and to engage said hooked end of a band positioned on said bar. 